2022 Inductee
As we all know, outstanding high school athletes don’t always make outstanding coaches. But those that do, do so because they are able to translate the knowledge they acquired from their own successes to athletes who often go on to be successful as well.
Mark Smith is a perfect example of what I am talking about.
As a freshman, at Independence High School, Track and Field Coach Lyle Leinbaugh sent Mark with the throws group that included state champ Mike Mulvaney and state medalist Barry Black. He was immediately hooked and the rest, as they say, is history.
While competing for the Mustangs, Mark was 6th at state in the Discus as a sophomore, 2nd as a junior and won Drake Relays and state titles as a Senior.
In that outstanding senior season of 1972 his winning throw of 170 feet 10 at Drake made him the first prep to surpass 170 feet there. He also became the first Iowa prep to ever throw over 190 feet with his PR of 193-5, a mark that, some 50 years later, still ranks as #9 All Time.
With a record setting high school career in the books, Mark headed to St. Ambrose where he earned All American honors three times in the discus and once in the shot put. His collegiate PR of 169-3 stood as the St. Ambrose school record for 45 years.
Mark is retired now after 30 years of working in the Department of Corrections and 22 years as a first class throws coach at North Fayette Valley. During his time mentoring high school throwers at North Fayette, Mark Smith coached athletes qualified to the state meet 65 times. Thirty three times they medaled, 7 of which were gold. Twenty-one times Tigerhawk throwers qualified to Drake and fourteen times they came home as medalists.
Of all the high school throwers, that Mark has mentored, the two that set the gratification bar the highest were his own children. Jesse was state champ in the discus and Lauren won two state titles in the discus and another in the shot put.
Mark still finds his way to the throws rings himself. He was won 25 Iowa Games gold medals in the Discus and 20 in the shot put with no plans to hang it up anytime soon.
He and Connie, his wife of 40 years, are the parents of Jesse, Jeremy and Lauren and grandparents to 4 year old Aidan and 2 year old Tristan, the proud owners of their own rubber discus.
Mark has been selected as an IATC Assistant Coach of the Year and as a member of the IATC Senior All Star Meet Coaching staff. He is now a Member of the IATC Hall of Fame.